The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-02-16
THE POSTMISTRESS.
BY olBrLLA r. EDcEcoNE.

MuulnS ana crulHpet~ indNt ~ order
( Thus ran the written notice penned, too,
1 in characters nearly approaching half
text, stuck up in one OF the few principal
shops ficing the main street
The unimportant village Of Iammer-
ton" lay somewhat far away from any
town. and therefore did fair amount Of
steady going business on its own account.
/ Foremost Of all ranked the repository. or
store rented by Lanet Isle. in which she
sold stationery, newspapers the maya
zines Of the day if duly ordered in time,
beside variety of useful odds and ends.
She was also the village poStmistress, and
carried out the duties Of her office with q
marked regard to promptitude. in each
Of these pursuits, however, she was aided
bv her pretty and wins5me niece, Elsie
/ Faiconbridge.
in ali -aa itv. Elsie vas more mistres
/ of the postal department than Janet Lisle
/ herself It was she who ordinarily under
TOOK he dispatch Of that twice-a-day let
ter-bag, bestowiug upon each missiye pre-
yis,isly the due official stamp-marl.
Janet Li-le's rig nand, in fact, - ev-
cry one said She. too. It was who made
( the mullins and crumpets-muaius ami
/ crumpets which were 80 Vopu1r in tie
village that no one ever dneamtot having
a tea party without also having mullins
and crumpets to match.
Oblige me with a two-cent stamp.
Miss Falconbridge. won't YOU" and a
! somewhat elderly man at that moment
stared her in the fsce-this necessarily,
+ however-shough the gap made in the
wire network marking of the space al-
( lowed to the postoftice department
She handed him what he required.
And a registered envelope. al-o,~ he
said
/ Again she had fulfilled hi, request
Thank YOU" and witliout more ado
he deposited a tventy-dollar note within
[ the slme
Al right" he soliloquized. as old gen
tlemen are 30 fond of doing Come
that's done at any rate he added, in self
congra, ulatory fashion.
Then came aloud. questioningly: In
/ the lettsr box or shall leave it with
7 you2"
You can leave ii here. sir answered
Elsie, quietly.
Others were now coming in fast, de-
manding this and that. and in adopting 4
calm exterior. lay her only chance Of at
tending rightly 10 each petitioner
Janet Isle also WAS unusually busy
/ that afternoon. Miss Veal. the richest
old lady il the parish, gave large tea
party that very evening, and mullins and
crumpets were accordingly being sent of
in startlingly large quantities.
Is there any letter waiting for me to-
day, pleaseor asked a somewhat timid
/ voice few minotes later on.
No, Miss Josephine, nothing"
lam sorry Disappointin. us it not 2@
a-t- tND AAlf7AA 4A4Aif ~ fillAl-
prehend each other. There existed. ap-
/ parently a sort Of pleasant sympathy be
tween them. Both looked good. and al
30 toroughly in earnest. Only that the
assistant postmistress appeared full OF
/ brightness and life, and the girl now fac
/ ing her wore the aspect Of being tired Of
/ life already.
Yes very. / am sorry teo.
Thank you. You are always kind.
l will look in again tomorrow, if my do
ing so viii not trouble you too much
Not at all Miss Josephine
( The last named was already moving
away 10 make room for some one else
( Elsie Falconbridge had. however, not yet
completed her business with the late law
/ yer's daughter.
Auntie,7 she whispered, '.tike my
( place here for a moment"
Janet Isle nodded in assent
Do come in here an instant with me,
( won't you?" and Elsie signed that Miss
( Josephine should accompany her into the
cosy hack parlor, where all was now in
readiness for tea. The fact Is Miss Jos
I ephine I've done the most stupid thing
( imaginable to-day-made mistake, and
prepared nearly twice the number of
I crumpets that viii be wanted by anybody.
Isn't il absurd Of me ? You won't mind
no, I'm sure you won't, Miss Josephine
helping me out of my trouble
But how" came hesitatinnly. in re-
sponse Then eame-ah 40 brayely, for
it is ever difficult to tell the plain truth
in such matters / can't It's quite i'm
possible. We have no money Don't
I you understand
Absurd " was the interruption.
Why, it's favor I'm asking of you
don't you see? l knew you would be in
to-day, for certain. and would befriend
me Its only that | want you. if you
doht mind the trouble. TO carry home a
dozen or 80 TO your sweet mother
Manyis the dozen she has ordered from
Us in the past, when, perhaps, We haven't
! been able to supply her. One can't for